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It's a small change, but I think it makes a subtle difference on how the subclass is perceived. Sounds to me just like a Dragonlance-style mystic.

I know your primary desire for a mystic is a class that "casts cleric spells like a sorcerer". Really though, the cleric is pretty much a sorcerer in 5e already, with the ability to know a certain amount of clerical spells everyday, and then cast those spells spontaneously. At least, it looks like the 3e sorcerer mechanically.

I would maintain that it isn't enough to carry what we want the mystic to be a faction separate from the clerics. Chronicles doesn't make sense if the Gods aren't needed for magical healing. To that end, I would rend the garment of what mystics were in the 5th Age, and divide it amongst other classes. Druids would get animism, necromancers would get necromancy, monks would get channeling, and the psionic inspired mystic class that has been released as Unearthed Aracana would get the rest. This is still my prefered method of dealing with mystics.

Otherwise divine soul style mystics can work with Chronicles if these "divine/favoured souls" are taking the teachings of clerics and embark on a path of enlightenment rather than serving as the god's champion and missionary. So essentially they can be a branch of the faith that maybe doesn't worship a particular god, but follows the teachings and religious rites laid out in the Disks of Mishakal that allow them to become the heirs to the gods and eventually become gods themselves of other worlds. So in that regard, calling them divine souls is appropriate. I'm not sure how 5th Age fans feel about this, because the first mystics were disciples of Goldmoon who knew to become a mystic because she was a true cleric first, but this basically would tie mysticism to religious enlightenment rather than being strictly coming from spiritual self-enlightenment (ie. you don't need the teachings of the gods). Matthew, you want to pipe in here and give your input?

Now if we follow Dragons of Vanished Moon literally (where mysticism is just a trick by Takhisis) then of course Celestial Warlock is the best fit for mystics. In Dragonlance, I'd probably use that subclass for Gods who make a direct pact with a mortal agent who is not really an ordained cleric. Otherwise, maybe it could be used for Dragonlance's demigods (Mina, Toede, Malfesus, Artha, Belzor set Zehir etc.) who aren't true divinities but will play at being gods by imbuing some of their power into a mortal.

Hmm.. maybe we should be talking about all the new classes and subclasses in Xanathar's and what they would be good for in Dragonlance. I'll start a new thread to keep this on Divine Souls/Mystics.

Mike Mearls on the Divine Soul

So Mike Mearls explains what the divine soul is. And now that I hear this, I am thinking that it is a more fleshed-out concept, but it won't work for the DL mystic. Of course I haven't seen the class yet.

I would maintain that it isn't enough to carry what we want the mystic to be a faction separate from the clerics. Chronicles doesn't make sense if the Gods aren't needed for magical healing. To that end, I would rend the garment of what mystics were in the 5th Age, and divide it amongst other classes. Druids would get animism, necromancers would get necromancy, monks would get channeling, and the psionic inspired mystic class that has been released as Unearthed Aracana would get the rest. This is still my prefered method of dealing with mystics.

You know, I've thought much the same over the years.

SAGA magic is essentially replacement magic built in another system. Mysticism was essentially the magic of clerics and druids plus psionics wrapped into one package. Now that the War of Souls is over and we have all types of magic at once, mysticism becomes redundant.

The issue becomes one of identity, and what people actually want to play. We have to delve into mystic archetypes.

If we want the traditional Citadel Mystic or Legion Mystic, the cleric is a great option. Just needs a few more domains to represent the Spheres of Mysticism. Rather than following a god, they follow a divine philosophy - Mysticism. Then a paladin might work for the Citadel Guardians.

If you want to utilize more of the psionic powers such as mentalism, go with the 5e mystic. It keeps the mystic name around and provides a solid archetype to go with that name.

The nightstalker? Well, I may have to get back to you on that one.

For 5e, we need to re-think how we approach some of the classes.

Hmm.. maybe we should be talking about all the new classes and subclasses in Xanathar's and what they would be good for in Dragonlance. I'll start a new thread to keep this on Divine Souls/Mystics.

Sounds like a plan. I'm considering blogging about those subclasses when I get the book.